“Once upon a time there was a prince who wanted to marry a real princess. There were plenty of princesses, but it was hard to know whether they were real princesses. The prince went all over the world looking for a true princess. But there was always something the matter with them. So the prince had to return home without having found a real princess.”
“Then, one night there was a terrible storm. The lightning flashed, the thunder roared and the rain poured down. In the middle of the storm there was a knock at the door of the castle and the old king went to open it. There, standing outside, was a princess, but it was hard to tell. The rain ran down her hair, her dress was drenched and her gold shoes were completely sodden and muddy. She said that she was a real princess, looking for shelter from the rain and thunder.”
“«Well see about that, » thought the old queen. «We can easily find out whether she’s telling the truth. » She went into a bedroom and placed a small pea under the mattress of the bed. Then she laid seven thick mattresses on top, and there the princess should sleep for the night.”
“In the morning, the queen asked the princess how she had slept. «Oh, dreadfully. I hardly slept a wink all night, and now I am black and blue all over, » replied the princess. «I feel as if I’ve slept on a stone, it was awful! Goodness knows what was in the bed? »”
“Then everyone knew that she was a real princess because she had been able to feel the tiniest pea through seven thick mattresses. «Only a true princess could be so sensitive, » said the prince. So saying, he asked the princess to marry him, because he now knew that he had finally found a real princess.”
“The pea was gilded, and to this day it still shining on the tiny hand of the princess.”
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário